I participated in the newly formed Robotics Program at a local private school from 2008-2010. The program was the result of a joint venture between the school and Stevens Institute of Technology, titled Build-IT. The program began with the successful completion of teacher training at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.

Build IT is a new, innovative research project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, under the Information Technology for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. Its goal is to catalyze student interest and achievement in engineering, science, and information technology.

Appealing to a target audience of middle and high school students, Build IT employs an innovative design challenge — building submersible robots from LEGO and other parts that can perform a series of increasingly complex and sophisticated underwater tasks. The aquatic environment presents unique challenges that require students to problem-solve using successively deeper levels of science understanding, the iterative design process, teamwork and communication, and information technology.

72 teachers from 36 geographically, socio-economically and academically diverse schools throughout New Jersey and New York City participated. Overall, approximately 2,600 students from the participating schools and districts were impacted through this project.